Bonded to My Ex's Alpha Brother Chapter 219

Erin's POV

I stood frozen as Derek's voice resonated through the great hall of Darkwood Estate. Through the stunned silence, I watched Alexander's face contort with rage.

With a snarl that sent a chill down my spine, Alexander snatched the papers and tore them into pieces. The fragments fluttered to the marble floor like snow.

"Now it's gone. No evidence," Alexander spat, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. "You tricked me into signing that document. You sent your enforcers into my pack without my permission. My own lawyer was a traitor."

I couldn't take my eyes off Derek's face as his lips curved into that mocking smile I'd grown to hate. His cold amusement felt like a slap.

Derek's gaze dropped to the torn papers at Alexander's feet. "Did you think that was the original contract? Look again—that was merely a copy."

My stomach knotted as Derek nodded to Delta Mark, who stepped forward with another folder. I'd seen this game before—Derek always had another move, another trap waiting.

"Give this to Charlie Windsor," Derek commanded.

I watched Charlie accept the folder with shaking hands, his face paling as he reviewed whatever was inside. Alexander lunged forward, trying to snatch it away, but several pack members held him back.

"Charlie, this is a contract you established years ago as Pack Alpha, stating you retained power over half the pack," Derek explained, extending what looked like a map marked with territorial boundaries. "You need only sign here on the map as the former Alpha of the Silverpine Pack. The choice is yours."

"You can't do that!" Alexander shouted, struggling against those restraining him. "Father, don't!"

My heart sank as Charlie didn't even look at his son. His eyes remained fixed on the contract, and after a moment's hesitation, he took the pen Delta Mark offered and signed where indicated.

"Alpha Derek has relinquished half of the Silverpine Pack," Charlie said as he handed the map to Beta Tom, his voice hollow with defeat. "What more could you ask for?"

The hall fell silent. I felt numb, disconnected from my body as I tried to process what I was witnessing. Politics, power plays, and manipulation—this was the world I had been dragged into against my will.

"The meeting is concluded," Derek announced, turning away from Alexander's rage-contorted face.

As Derek moved toward the exit, his gaze fell briefly on me. I kept my face expressionless, though my insides were churning with confusion and despair. He hesitated for just a heartbeat before continuing past me without acknowledgment, and I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or abandoned.

---

I barely registered someone approaching until I felt a warm hand grasp mine firmly. Looking up, I saw my brother's face.

"Come with me," Aaron said, his voice low and urgent as he pulled me away from the lingering tension.

"I have so much to tell you," he continued once we were out of earshot. His face was drawn with concern as he studied me. "But now, I need to check on Mom. How is she?"

The mention of my mother snapped me back to reality. "Her heart..." My voice sounded distant even to my own ears. "She had heart surgery."

Aaron's grip tightened on my hand, his brow furrowing. "Is she alright? Where is she now?"

"She's stable. In the Darkwood Pack hospital," I replied mechanically, the words coming automatically while my mind struggled to process everything.

"I have to see her," Aaron said, already turning toward the exit.

"Brother, take me with you," I pleaded, my voice cracking. "Please, I need to see her too."

Aaron shook his head, his expression softening with something that looked uncomfortably like pity. "Erin, you shouldn't leave the estate tonight. You can see Mom tomorrow. It's... complicated."

"But—"

"Trust me on this," he interrupted, giving my hand a final squeeze before releasing it. "Just stay here. We'll talk tomorrow."

I watched my brother's retreating back until he disappeared through the estate's massive front doors. With a weary sigh, I turned toward the grand staircase, suddenly aware of the crushing weight of exhaustion pressing down on my shoulders. Even my brother, my own flesh and blood, was keeping me prisoner here.

---

I wandered through the corridors of the upper floor, uncertain where I was meant to go. My mind kept replaying the confrontation in the great hall—Derek's calculated moves, Alexander's helpless rage, Charlie's defeat.

An older woman in a crisp uniform approached, offering a deep, respectful bow that caught me off guard.

"Luna," she said, her voice reverent in a way that made my skin crawl. "I've prepared everything for you and the Alpha's first night. This way, please."

"First night?" I repeated, confusion momentarily breaking through my emotional numbness.

The maid nodded, not noticing my bewilderment as she gestured toward a set of ornate double doors. "Everything has been arranged according to tradition."

My heart began to pound as I approached the indicated doors. My hand trembled slightly as I pushed one open.

The sight that greeted me made my breath catch. The enormous suite was bathed in the warm glow of dozens of candles, their flickering light dancing across walls of deep mahogany. Rose petals formed a path across the polished floor, leading to a massive four-poster bed where they had been scattered in a crimson blanket across pristine white sheets.

"No," I whispered, backing toward the door. "I can't stay here."

I turned to leave, only to find Derek standing in the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame. I stumbled backward, my pulse quickening painfully.

"I... I want to go home," I said, hating the tremor in my voice.

Derek stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. The soft click of the lock engaging sounded like a death sentence in the quiet space.

"What are you doing?" I asked, eyes widening as he advanced toward me.

In three long strides, he closed the distance between us, his hand shooting out to capture my wrist. With a swift motion, he spun me around, pressing my back against the door. His other arm braced against the wood beside my head, effectively caging me between his body and the solid surface.

"You dare humiliate me again?" Derek's voice was dangerously low, his breath warm against my face. "I swear, tonight no one will save you from me."

I placed my free hand against his chest, pushing with all my strength, though it was like trying to move a mountain. "Let... let me go."

"You think you can escape me after getting his support in front of everyone?" Derek's grip tightened around my wrist, his face inches from mine.

A thought that had been circling my mind suddenly burst forth. "Did you rape Alexander's soul bond—" I began, but my words were cut short as Derek released my wrist only to grasp my chin firmly, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"So that's what you were thinking about while standing there motionless?" His golden eyes blazed with fury and something else—something that looked almost like hurt.

"Let go of me," I demanded, finding strength in my anger. "I don't want you to touch me."

Derek's eyes darkened. "If I were a rapist, I wouldn't need to pretend to be a saint in front of you."